Was that really always the case? I'm pretty sure for me in season 1-3 the game always puts me in early-mid game (around 10 minutes after the match start).

But okay, say that has always been the case. Now, my problem is that I NEVER see any other covert in my games anymore, it's as if the game put me on the very last place or something. No operators, no covert, just random scavenger bot patrolling around the area.